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You might not have heard, but on Wednesday of last week former Indiana House Speaker and Democrat, John Gregg quietly announced he was exploring the idea of running for governor. You would expect something like that would be big news. I mean, he is a former House Speaker, but that was over 10 years ago. Still, Gregg is thinking about running for governor, but one would think that it would garner better than below the fold in the pages of Howey:

John Gregg was nervous. Last night he would announce the formal establishment of a gubernatorial campaign committee as he was faced with a different audience. He had been doing Jefferson-Jackson dinners in rural counties. But Wednesday night he was addressing the Washington Township Democratic Club in Indianapolis. This is a mostly educated, professional group.

So aside from the swipe at people in rural counties (who apparently aren’t professional or educated?!) John Gregg’s has made his exploratory announcement official, though with quite the whimper. I would have presumed something like this would be bigger news especially for the new savior of the state Democratic Party now that Evan Bayh has faded onto the payroll of Fox News. Then again, this one of the worst kept secrets in Indiana. Maybe this is Gregg’s way of easing himself back into the collective consciousness of Hoosiers who have long forgotten who he was. But allow me to jog the collective memory a bit. Gregg was known as a firm, but fair legislator with which to deal. But with Gregg’s retirement in 2002 from the State House, this allowed his top lieutenant and future top fleabagger, one B. Patrick Bauer, to ascend to the roll of Speaker and current Minority Leader.